225: The Battle of Bremule

Some would say the portents were there, but others just chalk it up to coincidence.

But as 1117 gave way to 1118 in early January, news arrived that Pope Pascal II died.

A few weeks later, news arrived that John of Gaeta, a monk from Monte Cassino and a chancellor to Pope Pascal, was unanimously elected as Pope Galatius II.

And with a new pope, Henry's most trying year yet as king arguably commenced.

Henry, Theobald, Conan of Brittany, and all of his new men, including his son and heir, William Adeline, his illegitimate sons, Robert Fitzroy, Richard of Lincoln, and Henry Fitzroy, along with the likes of young Stephen of Blois.

Well, as they all fought various raids and skirmishes around eastern and southern Normandy, many of them defensive, word arrived that Count William of Evreux also died.

This was on April 18th.

Evreux was a county within the borders of the Duchy of Normandy since the year 989, and Count William of Evreux was its longtime ruler and staunch loyalist of Henry's.

Well, William died without an heir, so his closest living male heir was a man named Amari III of Montfort, and Amari of Montfort was a vassal of King Louis VI.

Henry understandably refused to accept Amari's new role as Count of Evreux, and thus a new battlefield emerged amongst all the others.

King Louis was feeling pretty good by April of 1118.

Things were certainly swinging his way.

But on May 1st, shockwaves were sent across Henry's bow when word arrived in Normandy within days that his wife, Queen Matilda, his rock back home, had suddenly passed away.

Henry immediately turned his attention to England.

He ordered her to be buried at Westminster Abbey, demanding that, quote-unquote, a candle be burned by her tomb in perpetuity.

So says Charles Spencer in his book The White Ship.

Spencer continues, quote, Henry of Huntingdon eulogized Queen Matilda thoughtfully.

Quote, successes did not make her happy, nor did troubles make her sad.

Troubles brought a smile to her, successes fear.

Beauty did not produce weakness in her, nor power pride.

She alone was both powerful and humble, both beautiful and chaste." Her tomb, still to this day, simply says, A Woman for All Seasons.

To this day, she's remembered as Good Queen Maud.

Maud, of course, being another translation of Matilda.

It was a devastating blow to Henry, as you can imagine, who was already struggling with so much between Normandy being under constant attack and England suffering so horribly throughout the decade.

And the hits wouldn't stop with Queen Matilda.